News Releases

Atlanta, GA – August 31, 2015 – CPT President and Head Trainer Mark Spivak, functioning as a research consultant in conjunction with Emory University’s Neuroscience Department, co –authored a fifth research paper entitled “Awake fMRI Reveals a Specialized Region in Dog temporal Cortex for Face Processing.” Until the publication of the Emory – CPT paper, the existence of an FFA, which is the surface of the temporal lobe responsible for identifying and processing facial visual information, had never been confirmed in dogs.

Mark Spivak and the Emory research team discovered that the behavioral evidence found in the study suggest that dogs, like humans, are capable of visual facial recognition. Participant animals viewed both still and motion pictures of facial and non-facial images while stationary within the MRI scanner. The visual cortex of the animals activated whenever the dogs became attentive to an image. However the FFA, activated exclusively when the dogs observed facial images they recognized. The importance of the study’s findings may lead to improved human–dog communication as well as improved working and pet dog training and therapy methodologies.

CPT designs and performs groundbreaking government funded research projects in conjunction with Emory University’s Neuroscience Department. This research is improving the understanding of canine cognition, emotions, receptive communication, and sensory perception. Ultimately, the projects will benefit the overall training and quality of life for both service dogs and domestic pets. It also further explains the canine’s sensitivity to human social cues. CPT’s dedication to this groundbreaking research is yet another example of their commitment to animal welfare.

Comprehensive Pet Therapy (CPT) is Atlanta’s most respected pet training company. Since its inception, CPT has trained close to 50,000 client dogs, significantly more than 50,000 human clients, and approximately 80 cats. To learn more about CPT’s training services please contact CPT as per below.